Air Quality Action Planning
Action planning is viewed
as the most important and significant process of the Local Air
Quality Management Regime, playing a key role in helping the UK
government achieve the Air Quality Objectives and the EU limit
values, and meeting the Council’s statutory requirement to “work
towards achieving the air quality objectives”.
Twelve Air Quality Management
Areas (AQMA’s) have been declared through the Borough for the
pollutant nitrogen dioxide. Three areas are within Congleton
Town itself with further areas in Crewe, Nantwich, Cranage,
Mere,Sandbach, Macclesfield, Disley and Knutsford.
Following the declaration of
an Air Quality Management Area Section 84 (2) of the Environment
Act 1995 requires that a Local Authority draw up an Action Plan to
identify the methods by which it intends to address air quality
issues.
The Environment Act 1995 does
not prescribe any timescales for preparing an Action Plan. However
the Government expect them to be completed between 12-18 months
following the designation of any Air Quality Management Areas.
View the Cheshire East Action
Plan
The Final Action Plan for Cheshire East has now been published
following a consultation exercise and amended in light of
comments received (downloadable below).
The Action Planning Process
Local Authorities are required
to produce an Action Plan detailing what they are aiming to do in
order to reduce pollution in
AQMA
s.
Much of our discussions have
been with Highways and the Highways Agency and have been around
transportation issues both short and long term and have included
proposals such as reducing car usage and promoting public
transport.
Further information relating
to reducing car usage and transport is available on the Transport and Travel pages of the website.
Information ranges from walking and cycling to school and travel
plans.
The Council is currently drafting a revised action plan,
reviewing the former authorities action plans (where they existed)
and incorporating new actions. This plan will form a daughter
document of the Local Transport Plan and we will consult on this in
due course.
